Origin and History

In April 1761, when his current owner was transferred to another regiment, the unit was designated as vacantes Regiment von Roman until 1763 when it became the property of von Stain.

From 1760, the regiment was subsidised by Austria. The Württemberger contingent now now formed part of the Reichsarmee.

The regiment was organised in 2 battalions with 5 musketeer and 1 grenadier companies per battalion. Each company counted some 100 men for a total book strength of 1,219 men including staff. Furthermore, each battalion had a 3-pdrs gun.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was owned by:

1759: prince Friedrich Wilhelm von Württemberg

January 1 to April 1761 major-general Philipp Joachim von Roman

April 1761: vacant

1763: major-general Friedrich Karl von Stain

During the Seven Years' War, the successive Kommandeure of the regiment were:

In 1767, the regiment was incorporated into the Kreisinfanterieregiment Württemberg.

Service during the War

When created, in 1759, the regiment was in the French service and took part to the campaign in Hessen. On November 3, the Duke of Württemberg was instructed by Broglie to march to Gemünden with his contingent. On November 11, the Württemberger Contingent arrived at Gemünden. The duke then sent his hussars on the Kinzig river. On November 19 and 20, the Württemberger Contingent (about 10,000 men), led personally by the duke, arrived at Fulda and took up its winter-quarters to assist the French army. On Friday November 30, an Allied force under the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick launched a surprise attack on Fulda, forcing the Würtemberger Contingent to retreat precipitously southwards on Bruckenau in the general direction of Frankenland and Württemberg. From December 19 to 23, the Württemberg Contingent (now only 7 bns) was at Steinberg. On December 25, the Duke of Württemberg marched to Schotten.

From 1760, the regiment joined the Reichsarmee and was subsidized by Austria. The same year, it took part to the campaign in Silesia against Prussia.

Uniform

Privates

Uniform - Source: Frédéric Aubert

Uniform Detailsas per Becher's Bilderhandschrift circa 1760 completed with other sources where necessary

Headgear

Musketeer

black tricorne edged yellow with mid blue pompons and set with a single brass button

Grenadier

Prussian style mitre cap with a brass front plate decorated with a mirrored C (for Carl Eugen) surmounted by a star and a ducal crown

Neckstock

black

Coat

dark blue in Prussian cut

Collar

white

Shoulder Straps

white with a yellow aiguillette on the right shoulder

Lapels

white set with 6 brass buttons arranged in pairs

Pockets

horizontal pockets, each with 3 brass buttons

Cuffs

white Swedish cuffs with 3 brass buttons

Turnbacks

red fastened with a brass button

Waistcoat

white

Breeches

white

Gaiters

black

Leather Equipment

Crossbelt

white

Waistbelt

white

Cartridge Box

black

Bayonet Scabbard

black

Scabbard

black

Footgear

black

Troopers were armed with a musket and a sword.

Officers

Officers wore a uniform quite similar to the troopers with the following exceptions:

no turnbacks

black and gold sash

beige gloves

Musicians

no information available yet

Colours

Information about the colours of the Württemberger infantry regiments are very scarce. The following descriptions represent an "educated guess" based on these few sources

Both Leibfahne and Ordinarfahne would have the same design :

- on the obverse side, a red ribbon with the motto "Provide et constanter", the arms of the duke of Württemberg, surmounted by a gold and red ducal crown. The arms consisted of an oval shield surrounded by a "Ordenskette" necklace holding the "Militär Carls Orden" star.

The oval shield with the armories had 5 fields : Upper left canton: yellow and black checkerboard pattern (Teck arms), Upper right canton: yellow flags on a blue field (Reichssturm), Lower right canton: brown head with a red bonnet on a yellow field (Heidenheim arms), Lower left canton: two gold fish on a red field (Monbéliard arms), Central escutcheon: left side = 3 black stag antlers, right side = a black eagle, both sides on a yellow field

The necklace had 8 blue 'W' depicting precious stones, each linked with a golden eagle

- on the reverse side, in the center, a gold "mirrored CE" monogram with a gold and red ducal crown. A small gold "mirrored C" monogram with a gold and red ducal crown on each corner.